A Right of Passage

Growing up, like most of you I'm sure, I thought my Mom just hung the moon. She seemed to do everything perfectly. She kept the family on schedule, cooked incredible meals, helped people in need, made our house a home and loved God with a passion I have rarely seen in others. I have such fond memories of sitting on a stool at her kitchen counter and watching her cook up some of the most scrumptous creations I've had to date. Well, one of my favorite things to watch her do was can things. It just astounding seeing the time and precision it took to can some of her most delicious creations.

Now that I've become a wife and mother I decided to try my hand at it. In my attempt to make this Christmas more economical I'm making gift baskets for some of our closest friends and family. My Dad's cousins in Yerington gave me this HUGE box of apples and I decided to make apple butter and can it, with the help of Mom of course.

After a morning of pampering (pedicures and lunch with Mom and Grandma) I headed out to the folks house to attempt this right of passage. The cooking seemed to go well but the apple butter just never seemed to get thick enough. "Don't worry," my mom assured me "it will set up more after the canning." So, I proudly hauled my box of apple butter creations home assured that the syrup like texture would set. It's been a couple weeks now.....and I have proudly made...apple syrup! Guess even the most seasoned and experienced mothers can't do EVERYTHING right. Maybe next time!